


all he can do

by 8glassesofmilkin3minutes



Category: Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston
Genre: Canon Compliant, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:09:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22060834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/8glassesofmilkin3minutes/pseuds/8glassesofmilkin3minutes
Summary: Henry flees the scene after kissing Alex under the linden tree, and Auntie Pezza's there to help
Comments: 26
Kudos: 151





	all he can do

“ _Pez._ ”

“This had better be important because June has just touched my arm for the second time tonight, and if you ruin this for me, mate, I _swear_ I will-”

“Pez, just—Fine, I won’t keep you, just—ergh! Tell me what the fuck to do!” Henry says into his phone, throwing himself on the bed.

“Oh, has that trollop of yours finally invited you upstairs so you two could stop bonking through your clothes in front of the entire party?”

“ _No_ , Pez! He just… I just…”

“Tell me this, though, where have you gone? Your obsession’s been looking for you.”

Henry makes a strangled sound. “I’m at the hotel.”

“You _left_ me here?”

“Well, I didn’t think you’d mind! You have your—Besides, it was urgent.”

“Henry, what happened?”

“Alex,” Henry groans, drawing out the name. 

•

“Now, Henry,” Pez says gently, closing the hotel room door behind him. He drapes his bomber jacket over a chair at the desk, and it catches the light, glinting. Henry throws an arm over his eyes and grimaces. He’s changed into a t-shirt and sweatpants.

“Turn… the damn light…”

Pez turns off the main light, leaving only the small lamps over the nightstands to illuminate the room. “Tell your Auntie Pezza all about your night.” He retrieves a glass apple juice bottle from the minifridge and hands it to Henry. “Don’t leave out how Alex’s bedroom eyes made you feel as he swayed that remarkable body of his all up in your personal space. I want to know the lot.”

“Oh, Pez,” Henry moans, flipping onto his stomach to bury his face in the pillow. A faint thought crosses his mind that he’s being a bit dramatic, but he can’t seem to grab onto it and react accordingly.

“Let it all out,” Pez says, stroking Henry’s back.

“I’ve been a fool,” Henry lamented, turning his head onto its side to speak.

“What is new?”

“Go to hell.”

“Five steps ahead of you, hon. Hell is here, tending to your sorry gay arse.”

“I didn’t ask for your help!”

“You very well did.”

“Hmph.”

“Spill,” Pez demands, poking Henry’s side.

“No,” he replies, burying his face back in the pillow.

Pez grabs a bit of Henry’s thigh and pinches. Henry yelps.

“You deserved it.”

“Okay! I… he— I just—”

Pez pinches him again.

“I kissed him! I bloody kissed him, Pez! I kissed Alex in the dark outside of the party because he was being a blithering idiot and I _thought_ he was giving me signals and I was sick of waiting, but it was stupid ‘cause he’s with that Holleran girl and—”

“ _Hohoooo_ ,”

“Pez?”

Pez jumps and pumps a fist into the air. “The prince has boarded the love train!”

“ _Pez_.” Henry sits up, crossing his legs.

“Hopped on the boogie wagon!”

“What does that even…?”

“Took a dip into the sugar bowl! Dived into—Wait, Henry? How did he react? You haven’t told me how he reacted.” Pez sits on the bed and looks into Henry’s eyes intently, placing both hands on Henry’s arm.

“Yes, well, if Auntie Pezza’d give her poor nephew a chance to speak—”

“What did he do, Henry? What did he do? Don’t tell me there was a hand down your pants and I missed it.”

Henry squints at Pez, then takes a swig of apple juice. 

“How poetic, the prince getting wanked off under the stars in the shadow of—”

“Weren’t stars,” Henry mumbles in between gulps, not stopping, if only to give himself a reason not to talk.

Pez snatches the bottle away from him and places it on the nightstand nearest them. 

“Sorry. No jokes. Just please, tell me.”

“I think…” Henry considers. “I think he kissed me back.” 

And once he says it out loud he knows it’s true. It suddenly adds up, even though it didn’t in his head these past few hours. He’d been ruminating on the kiss he’d witnessed between Nora and Alex, not allowing himself to take into consideration the late nights on the phone, the incessant texting, the private jokes, the… _flirting?_ “Also, my tongue may have started to wander.”

Pez squeals and removes his hands from their place on Henry’s arm to poke at Henry’s belly rapidly. “I knew it! Finally letting your dick lead the way for once and not that prissy, uptight brain!”

“Wasn’t my dick.”

“Oh, my bad. Your heart?” Pez teases. “And what was all that tosh you said earlier about the Holleran girl?”

“They kissed at midnight, Pez. At the end of the countdown, a whole wet, messy mouth bang.”

“Yes, well, they do that every year, don’t they? I’m sure you know that?”

“...Yes.”

“Of course you do, because you’re the one who told me, because you’re the one who obsessively keeps up with coverage on him.”

“I do _not_ ,” Henry counters stubbornly.

“And he’s never once mentioned her in a more-than-friendly way, while he tells you practically everything about his life.”

Henry feels his lips embarrassingly turn upward at the mention of how close he and Alex have become.

“Yes, there’s that dreamy look I like to see.”

“So what do you think, Perce?” Henry asks, changing the topic.

“I think we should extend our stay so you have adequate time tomorrow to press your mouth against his again, followed by much, _much_ more,” Pez says, absentmindedly checking himself in the mirror on the wall.

“Seriously, though. Confused straight lad or baby gay?”

“Confused… straight… mate, are you hearing yourself?” Pez looks away from the mirror and pins Henry under his gaze.

Henry looks at him dumbly.

“Are. You. Hearing. Your. Self?” Pez claps between each syllable. “The bitch kissed you back! _He_ gave you his number that weekend.”

“To set up appearances.”

Pez is unfazed. “ _He’s_ the one whose been obnoxiously confronting you every time you cross paths for the past four years. He was the one undressing you with his eyes all night. He wants you, god damn it! He wants you, and if you don’t do something about it—”

“Yes, well, that’s where this all falls apart, isn’t it?”

Pez blinks. “What do you mean?”

Henry scoffs. “You know bloody well I can’t _do_ anything about it.”

Pez cocks his head. “Henry, you already have.”

Henry doesn’t meet Pez’s eyes. Pez laughs a little, softly. “Henry, dearest. I know it’s complicated because of who he is, but something is happening that you’ve wanted for a hell of a long time. At least see where it goes.”

“Precisely the problem. I can’t let it go anywhere.”

“Henry, I swear to god, the Queen, and the Grim Reaper—”

“Rather blasphemous combination, if you ask me.”

“—if you don’t, after all this time, after all this”—Pez lays an arm on his forehead dramatically and tosses his head backward—“ _Percy, his voice is like fountain water dribbling down rocks_ and _Percy, what is the point of the world if Alex Claremont-Diaz will never be in my arms?_ ”

Henry laughs and swats at Pez. “If you don’t shut up.”

“After _all this_ ,” Pez continues, placing a firm hand on Henry’s arm. “If you don’t give yourself a chance, if you don’t at least _try_ , Henry Windsor, to do this for yourself…” Pez contemplates for a moment. “I’m never inviting you to one of my yacht parties again.”

Henry leans against the headboard and laughs fully.

“You have my word. As your best mate,” Pez says, crossing his heart. 

Henry waits a moment. “Fine. I’ll let it play out. For the yacht parties.”

A self-satisfied smile crosses Pez’s face. “Knew that’d do the trick.”

“But we’re still flying back first thing tomorrow.”

Pez purses his lips in thought. “Fair enough.”

As Henry stares at the black TV screen, he knows he’s done all he can do. While he may not have been one hundred percent forthright with his feelings since they started talking, he made no effort to create a different impression. And after tonight? Well, if Alex still doesn’t know what Henry wants, it’s his own halfwit fault for being dense. Henry’s made his move.

It’s time for Alex to make his. 

“So, Pez.”

“Hmm?”

“What was that about June touching your arm?”

Pez flashes him a devilish smirk.

**Author's Note:**

> Since reading this book I've desperately needed more Pez and more Henry-Pez interaction. I hope you enjoyed slightly-drunk Henry whining and overthinking the way he only would to his best friend (and maybe Bea).


End file.
